A stunning 40 million Russians from all levels of government will take place in a civil defense “emergency evacuation” drill starting tomorrow.

Federal agencies, heads of regions, local authorities and other organizations will take part in the massive exercise, which runs from October 4-7. The simulation will include 200,000 “professional rescue units” and 50,000 pieces of equipment,” reports Interfax.

“Abnormal emergency rescue teams” will wargame “evacuation” procedures during a national crisis, according to the report.

According to Oleg Manuilov, the director of the Russian Civil Defence Department, the exercise will be a test run of how the population would respond to a “disaster occurrence” under an “emergency” situation.

The drill takes place amidst heightening tensions between the United States and Russia.

As we reported last week, Moscow responded to U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby’s warning that Russian cities could suffer terrorist attacks if Vladimir Putin continued his military campaign in Syria by taking it as a veiled threat.

“Extremist groups will continue to exploit the vacuums that are there in Syria to expand their operations, which could include attacks against Russian interests, perhaps even Russian cities. Russia will continue to send troops home in body bags, and will continue to lose resources, perhaps even aircraft,” Kirby told reporters at Wednesday’s press briefing, adding that if the war in Syria continues “more Russian lives will be lost, more Russian aircraft will be shot down.”